Lucien Crochet : Pinot Rose 2018

Terroir Driven Rosé from an Exceptional Sancerre Producer

Lucien Crochet is a family run winery founded by André Crochet and Lucien Picard. At first the pair of winemakers had two separate wineries but eventually, the two estates were merged together when it was passed down to André's son, Lucien. Crochet and Picard were considered to be some of the great pioneers of Sancerre as they were bottling and selling in Paris in the 1950s. Lucien Crochet also developed relationships with the finest restaurants in Paris, which created a name for the brand not only in France but in other markets as well. Today, the winery has been passed down through three generations and continues to carry the legacy of making beautiful expressions of terroir driven wine. The winery has 64 acres of Sauvignon Blanc and 22 acres of Pinot Noir spread out throughout the villgae of Bué as well as a few plots in the Sancerre, Crézancy and Vinon communes. The estate has a range of soils from calcareous clay to Kimmeridgian subsoils, or sea fossils, to create an exciting range of wines with plenty of depth and complexity. Since 1989, the winery has been practicing organic farming techniques to preserve the terroir and allow that to shine through in the wines.

The Lucien Crochet Pinot Rosé is made up of Pinot Noir grapes from several different plots and two distinct terroirs: limestone and Kimmeridgian marl. The entire bunches of grapes are fed into a pneumatic press and fermented on the must for 20 days. The wine is then racked in February and bottled after six months of ageing. The Rosé is a deep pink with red reflections. It is fresh and ripe with notes of blueberries and redcurrants leading to a palate bursting with fresh fruit and minerality. The wine has a good amounr of tannins that give it more power than a typical rosé but has a nice balance. This is the perfect sipping wine to enjoy on its own or at your next summer barbecue!